Dennis Bartels, executive director of the Exploratorium, talks about the science museum’s big move to Pier 15, along with its financial health.

What was your biggest fear about changing the Exploratorium from the way it has been for 44 years? We feared some would say that we’ve lost our spirit and others would say that we haven’t taken enough advantage of the new space. The challenge was finding that right balance where you keep evolving, but keep a place that’s still fun for the people familiar with it. It’s not a normal management or leadership position, it’s a subtle way to lead.

When founder Frank Oppenheimer created the Exploratorium, he purposefully built it in a dark, cavernous space. What would Frank think of this new place? He would love it. His spirit lived in the people, stories and oral history of this place, which is still strong and growing. Now 500 people live out his mission and purpose every day. We have managed to successfully move the character and spirit of the place over. The same culture still exists.

What was the process of choosing Pier 15 as the Exploratorium’s new home? We started in 1998 and had three false starts, where we looked at other properties and made bids. In 2004, we walked into this site and it was love at first sight. It had many of the same qualities as our old home — a long industrial shed and tall ceilings. Even the dimensions were the same, but wider and longer. Ultimately, the power of its address and accessibility sold it for me.

What were some unforeseen challenges or glitches in building the new facility? Well, 96 percent of the design is brilliant. Because of its location and historic nature, there were things we weren’t allowed to do. We wanted more greenery, but it’s an industrial site; we had to forgo that idea.

Was anything surprisingly expensive or unexpected through the process? There were some things that were surprisingly not expensive. We will be able to bring this thing in on budget. We were able to start this project early in 2010 when construction crews were very hungry.

How long, how much manpower did it take to move? Less than 100 days and 5,000 people total. It all came together. We could’ve even opened up a few weeks ago and gotten away with it.

Is there anything the old location had that the new one doesn’t? We have to learn how to control light. It’s much easier to control light instead of create it. You lose certain virtues of one site, but gain them at the other. The acoustics are also different, as well as foot traffic and how it flows.

Which exhibit is your favorite? The shadow kaleidoscope. People of all ages can engage and have fun with it, and I just love the response it ignites.

How is the financial health of the organization now? The budget is doubling from $30 million to $56 million. Before, only 18 percent of our income came from visitors. The majority of our funding — $100 million over the past 20 years — came from grants from the National Science Foundation and government organizations. In the new site, 35 percent of our income will come from site visits, including ticketing, rentals and people buying stuff in our stores. We’ll still have a diverse portfolio of donors, government grants, earned income and sales of intellectual property around the world.

What’s your personal mission for the future of the organization? We’re a leading learning institution, and I hope we will continue to find out the ways in which we learn and the research we can do. I’m also hopeful we can grow in the realm of social justice. Our opportunity here to take on issues of equity and opportunity is huge. We’ve stayed true to the notion that this is also a political institution in that we’re not telling people what to think, but showing them how to think for themselves.